


Hello from the other side

by angelskuuipo



Category: Buffy the Vampire Slayer
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Angst, Dawn exists, F/M, GFY, Pre-Series, slight spoilers for the Angel episode 'Orpheus'
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-14
Updated: 2016-01-14
Packaged: 2018-05-13 23:22:03
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,454
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5720845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelskuuipo/pseuds/angelskuuipo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He let her go because he couldn’t give her the life she deserved.  Did he have any right to walk into whatever life she’d built for herself now?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Hello from the other side

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Velvetwhip (Gabrielle)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Gabrielle/gifts).



> Disclaimer: Recognizable characters are not mine. The story, however, is. Please do not republish without my permission.
> 
> Prompt: Angsty Angel/Joyce
> 
> Written for the lovely velvetwhip in honor of her birthday. I hope you have a fabulous one, darlin’! This fic is loosely inspired by Adele’s ‘Hello’. Big thanks to Elisabeth for the beta.
> 
> Written: January 3, 2016  
> Word Count: 1,445

~*~*~*~*~*~*~

**1979**

_“Hey. It’s me. I know you never expected to hear from me again. I didn’t think I’d ever call you again either, but I wanted you to know. Um, I’m getting married. Next month. In L.A. I’m sorry we left things the way we did, but…yeah. Take care of yourself. ‘Bye.”_

Angel listened to the message a dozen times before he erased it. Erased her. He was pretty sure he’d heard the last of her.

_“Angel? It’s me. I have some news. If you’re there could you pick up? … Okay then. I didn’t want to tell you like this, but you never seem to be home when I call. I’m pregnant. I’m due in January. The doctor says it’s a girl. I’m kind of scared. I have no idea what I’m doing. I’d really like to talk to you. Is that selfish? It is, isn’t it? I’m the one that left. I have no right to ask you to speak to me. But…I miss you.”_

He had the phone in his hand before he stopped himself. There was no point. She was married. It was up to her husband to get her through this. It wasn’t like anything had changed. She had left for a reason. He had let her go even though it killed him inside; just like it killed him a little more every time she called.

He thought about changing his number, but never got the chance. He went out to clear his head, watched a man die, and he did something he’d never forgive himself for. He never went back to the apartment they had shared. He just…disappeared.

_“The number you are trying to reach has been disconnected or is no longer in service…”_

~*~

**1996**

Angel stared at the girl Whistler had pointed out and thought he was seeing a ghost. She looked so much like…was it possible?

He made Whistler follow her home so he’d know where to go and then he waited impatiently for nightfall. He used his time wisely, though. He got a haircut and new clothes. He made sure he looked presentable when he knocked on the door.

Intellectually, he knew she would have gotten older, but he wasn’t prepared for the changes he saw. She’d been a lovely ingénue when they were together and now…now she was a woman grown. There was experience etched in the subtle lines of her face. Her hair was shorter, but still the same honeyed gold. She was still beautiful to him. Her blue eyes were tired, but they widened in immediate recognition when she looked at him.

“Hello, Joyce.”

Her knees buckled and she grabbed onto the door to keep herself upright. She was still fully inside the house, so he couldn’t catch her like he wanted to.

“Angel?” she breathed.

He nodded. “Uh, can we talk?”

Joyce looked over her shoulder. “Now isn’t a good time.” She met his eyes again and he could see her weighing her options. “Meet me at the Dubois Gallery on Melrose tomorrow afternoon. There’s basement access from the subway.”

A young girl’s voice sounded from further in the house, “Mom! I need your help!” It was too young to belong to the girl he had seen that afternoon. Joyce had two girls?

“I’ll be there in a minute, Dawn. Please don’t yell,” Joyce said just loud enough for her voice to carry, not taking her eyes off of him.

“I’m sorry I interrupted your evening. I’ll see you tomorrow,” Angel said softly.

Joyce continued looking at him for another long moment before she shook her head abruptly. “Tomorrow.” She closed the door and Angel heard the lock turn.

As he walked away he wondered if he was doing the right thing. Joyce had left him all those years ago because he couldn’t give her the life she deserved. Nothing about that had changed. She looked to be doing alright for herself if the house she was living in was any indication. But if her daughter was the Slayer like Whistler had said, then she’d need help. They both would. 

The dark was coming to call and that was his specialty.

Maybe it would all blow up in his face, but then again, maybe this was his chance to make amends.

He’d find out tomorrow.

~*~

The gallery was nice, though some of the pieces were a little gauche for his taste. He wandered through the back, staying well away from the front windows.

Joyce was with a customer, so he just looked around. He got lost in the art and didn’t hear the person leave. Angel actually jumped when Joyce said, “You came.”

He turned and met her wary blue eyes. “Of course.”

Her brows drew together as she studied him. She turned without a word and led him to her office. “Why now? It’s been fifteen years. How did you even find me?”

He bit his lip, wondering what he should say. That might have been a better use of his time instead of looking at the art, but there was nothing for it now. “I got…lost.”

That…was not what he meant to say.

Joyce blinked at him. “You got lost. And, what? You miraculously found your way to my door?”

Angel shook his head. “After you called to tell me you were pregnant I went out to clear my head. I went to the diner over on 54th St. There was a robbery, the owner was killed and I…I fed from him. It all came crashing down on me after that. You were gone, moving on with your life, but still wanted me to be a part of it even though you didn’t want _me_ , and I’d just proved to myself why that was a horrible idea. I never went back to the apartment. I’ve been living on the streets since then, hiding from…everything.”

Joyce stood there, hands over her mouth, and her eyes welling with tears as she just looked at him. He didn’t hide. He let her see just what the last fifteen years had done to him, what her leaving had done to him.

“What changed?” she whispered.

“I got a much needed kick in the ass to stop wallowing.”

When she just raised an eyebrow at him, Angel smiled crookedly. “I got a visit from a balance demon that works for the Powers That Be. The Powers want me to help the new Slayer.”

Joyce lowered her hands. “And what does that have to do with me?”

“Your daughter is the Slayer.”

She shook her head in swift denial. “No, that’s impossible.”

“Joyce.”

“She doesn’t know anything about that world! I haven’t had anything to do with it since I left.”

Angel looked at some of the pieces in her office pointedly. “You represent demon artists as well as humans, Joyce. This building has basement access so creatures like me can get in without trouble. Please don’t lie.”

Joyce’s shoulders slumped and dropped onto her desk chair tiredly. “I never wanted that world to touch my girls.” She looked up at him. “I remember the stories you told about Slayers. They don’t live very long. I can’t lose my baby girl, Angel. I can’t.”

“I’m going to do the best I can to make sure that doesn’t happen. I want to help.”

“I’ll think about it.”

“Joyce-“

“I said I’ll think about it, Angel.”

He remembered that tone of voice. “Okay.” He took one of her business cards from the holder on the desk and wrote his number on the back. “Here’s my number. I promise I’ll call you back this time if you call.”

He headed for the stairs but looked back before he started his descent. “It was good to see you again, Joyce. I wish it were under better circumstances.”

She didn’t say anything in return, so Angel left. He honestly didn’t know if he’d hear from her or not. Regardless, he was going to help her daughter stay alive. It was the least he could do.

~*~

_“Angel, it’s Joyce. I didn’t want to believe what you said, but I can’t ignore the truth when it’s staring me in the face. My daughter is the Slayer. She got into some trouble. We’re going to be moving soon. To Sunnydale. I’d…I’d like to take you up on your offer. She could use all the help she can get. Call me back?”_

Angel swore long and hard. Of all the places for Joyce to move to she had to pick the Hellmouth. That…could really complicate things. First things first, though.

He dialed her number. “Joyce? It’s Angel. Can you talk right now?”

-30-


End file.
